(a) Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic thermometer, and in particular, to an electronic thermometer which can adjust to provide an upright display regardless of whether the user uses the left hand or right hand to hold the thermometer.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Before the invention of electronic thermometers, mercury thermometers were widely used for measuring body temperature. Mercury will expand when subject to heat and contract when subject to cold. When in measuring, the mercury in the measuring probe will expand so that the mercury will go into a capillary tube made of glass, so enabling a user to read the calibration on the exterior of the tube. In recent years, because of the serious danger of mercury pollution to human health, an electronic thermometer has been developed, and has gradually replaced the mercury thermometer.
Referring to FIG. 14, the conventional electronic thermometer generally has an LCD to show the measured temperature. However, when the thermometer is turned upside down, the reading is also upside down and is not the user to read. It is generally only readable for the right-handed user. Using the left hand to use the thermometer will cause the reading to be upside down (see FIG. 15), making it difficult to read (see FIGS. 16A and 16B). Further, if the user holds the thermometer using the right hand when measuring the temperature, the reading will be upside down for another person attempting to read the temperature. Moreover, a patient has to move his body to read at the same direction of the doctor or nurse, or the thermometer must be given to the nurse so that the nurse can read the reading of the thermometer in an upright position.
As shown in FIG. 17, after the conventional thermometer is used for measuring temperature, the signal is directly converted into output control signal by means of data processing which will then show the temperature in the display. However, when the thermometer is turned upside down, the reading is also upside down and is not convenient for a user to read.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic thermometer in which the temperature reading will automatically adjust to the different direction in which the thermometer is held, so that the temperature can be read with ease even if the thermometer is turned upside down. In this way, left and right handed users of the thermometer can read the temperature, and the person receiving the thermometer from the user, without having to move the thermometer or adjust their physical position, can carry out such readings.